Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 111 Part 1.djvu/302

 Ill STAT. 278 PUBLIC LAW 105-33—AUG. 5, 1997 "(1) IN GENERAL.— The Secretary shall establish a process through which elections described in subsection (a) are made and changed, including the form and manner in which such elections are made and changed. Such elections shall be made or changed only during coverage election periods specified under subsection (e) and shall become effective as provided in subsection (f). " (2) COORDINATION THROUGH MEDICARE+CHOICE ORGANIZA- TIONS.— "(A) ENROLLMENT.— Such process shall permit an individual who wishes to elect a Medicare+Choice plan offered by a Medicare+Choice organization to make such election through the filing of an appropriate election form with the organization. "(B) DISENROLLMENT.— Such process shall permit an individual, who has elected a Medicare+Choice plan offered by a Medicare+Choice organization and who wishes to terminate such election, to terminate such election through the filing of an appropriate election form with the organization. " (3) DEFAULT. — "(A) INITIAL ELECTION.— " (i) IN GENERAL. — Subject to clause (ii), an individual who fails to make an election during an initial election period under subsection (e)(1) is deemed to have chosen the original medicare fee-for-service program option. " (ii) SEAMLESS CONTINUATION OF COVERAGE.—The Secretary may establish procedures under which an individual who is enrolled in a health plain (other them Medicare+Choice plan) offered by a Medicare+Choice organization at the time of the initial election period and who fails to elect to receive coverage other than through the organization is deemed to have elected the Medicare+Choice plan offered by the organization (or, if the organization offers more than one such plan, such plan or plans as the Secretary identifies under such procedures). "(B) CONTINUING PERIODS.— An individual who has made (or is deemed to have made) an election under this section is considered to have continued to make such elec- . tion until such time as— "(i) the individual changes the election under this section, or "(ii) the Medicare+Choice plan with respect to which such election is in effect is discontinued or, subject to subsection (b)(1)(B), no longer serves the area in which the individual resides. " (d) PROVIDING INFORMATION TO PROMOTE INFORMED CHOICE. — "(1) IN GENERAL. —The Secretary shall provide for activities under this subsection to broadly disseminate information to medicare beneficiaries (and prospective medicare beneficiaries) on the coverage options provided under this section in order to promote an active, informed selection among such options. "(2) PROVISION OF NOTICE. — "(A) OPEN SEASON NOTIFICATION.— At lea«^ 15 days before the beginning of each annual, coordinated election

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